Jessie and her secret
by BennywireLover99
Summary: what is Jessie's secret is her name really Jessie? is she really a normal nanny? what will happen to Emma, Luke, Ravi and Zari? and is Bertram gonna come along the way! you need to read to find out!


**prologue **

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**At sea 1841 in between USA and AUSTRALIA **

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'We must always look after each other, Mary. Goodness knows what could happen to us in Australia. Supernintendent O'Leary told me it's a very peculiar place. He said there are snakes that can poison you

There was a sigh, and a thump, as Peggy Duffy, above Nellie, turned over in h to death in a second, and animals that bounce like india-rubber balls.' Mary shuddered. 'I'll always be there for you, Nell, I promise.'

'And me for you. Never forget it.'er bunk. 'Do hush up, you two! Think of us who's trying to sleep, now.'

'Oh, hush yourself, Peg!' retorted Nellie. 'We're making no noise at all, and it's you who's disturbing the peace with your moaning.'

In the morning the Elgin would be docking at Port Adelaide. And after that, as Nellie knew, all the girls had to find work. She'd heard that there were plenty of jobs for Irish maidservants in the colonies. Perhaps she and Mary could work together! Someone in a fine big house might need two maids just like themselves. She imagined how much fun they'd have. They might even be put to work outside, in the sunshine. Mr O'Leary had said that the weather in Adelaide could be very hot.

Thinking about Mr O'Leary made Nellie remember the Killarney Union Workhouse, which had so recently been her home. She was grateful to it because it had kept her alive when she had nothing but the rags she stood up in, but what a cold, grey, cheerless place it was! Each day was as dreary as the last, with rules that told you when to work, when to eat, when to sleep.

Nellie felt that she would always be haunted by the thin, careworn faces of the women and children there. They were the faces of people who had given up all hope.

She gave herself a little shake and made herself see happy pictures again: pictures of Mary and herself picking apples, throwing grain to hens, running through a flower-filled garden ...

'I'd feel much better about it if I knew that only good things would happen to us. The dear Lord only knows where we shall be in a year's time, Nell.'

'Oh, let's make a plan!' Nellie cried. She loved making plans: they were exciting, and they gave you something to work towards. Nobody could take a good plan away from you. 'In this country we can do things we couldn't have dreamed of back in Ireland! Let's say what we wish for, and then after a year we can see if our wishes have come true. Shall we do it?'

'Nell, you know I hate to make plans for the future,' Mary said. 'It's such terrible bad luck.'

'That's pure nonsense,' said Nellie. 'Just cross yourself and say "I know this won't happen". That will break the bad luck, won't it? Come, say what you most wish for.'

Reluctantly, Mary crossed herself. 'Well then ... I know this won't ever happen, but what I want is to be a nursery maid in a great big house and look after little children. I did love the babies at the workhouse. It was cruel that they were stuck in such a place, the poor things, and most without their own mothers to look after them.' She paused, thinking. 'Oh, and I wish that I shall never be hungry again, not ever. So what do you wish, Nell?'

'I'm with you entirely on the bit about not being hungry. But I want so many other things as well. Most of all I want to be part of a family again. I miss my own family so much.'

Mary patted her hand. 'Don't be thinking about that now. What are your other wishes?'

Nellie sat up a little straighter. 'Well, I don't want to be called "orphan" or "workhouse girl" ever again. I want to be only myself, Nellie O'Neill.'

'And you _are_ yourself,' laughed Mary. 'Who else might you possibly be?'

'You know what I mean! You know how you hate it, too, when you're treated like the filth on somebody's boot.'

'Well, yes, but I don't let it bother me. And I'd not waste a wish on it.'

'Maybe you should let it bother you, for it's not fair,' said Nellie with passion. 'And I still have one more wish. Don't laugh! - I want to learn to read.'

Mary gave her a wondering look. 'Why?'

'You don't need to read when you're scrubbing f loors or emptying slops,' said Peggy's voice from the bunk above. 'You're a daft eejit, Nellie O'Neill. Now go to sleep!'

'Maybe I don't need to,' Nellie said, 'but I want to. My dada could read. He read the Bible to us children every night.' She thought sadly of the last time she'd seen her father, so weak from hunger and disease. 'Be strong, Nellie,' he'd said to her. 'Don't let the workhouse break your spirit. Remember that the O'Neills are descended from Irish kings.'

'I know your wishes will all come true,' said Mary. 'You have a face on you that good luck can't resist.'

'I hope you're right, Mary angel,' said Nellie. 'And good luck will touch you on the shoulder too, I just know it will.'

The two girls reached forward to hug each other, and then turned around to go to sleep. Soon their journey would be over, and their new lives would begin.

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**please comment if its a good or bad start every reader please comment it would be most appreciated **

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**This is just the prologue you will see how this fits in with the story thank-you for reading **


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